Italy: Italian reporter held in Syria is free

ROME 
The Italian government says an Italian journalist and a Belgian national who were kidnapped in Syria in April have been freed.

The government announced late Sunday night that Domenico Quirico, a correspondent for the Turin newspaper, would arrive soon on a flight to Rome.

Premier Enrico Letta's office added in a statement that Belgian Pierre Piccinin was also `'free" and was flying to Italy with Quirico.

The premier's office says `'hope had never faded" for Quirico's safe return but gave no details on how he became free. Quirico had entered Syria from Lebanon on April 6 and disappeared three days later while traveling to the city of Homs in war-torn Syria.